August 7, 2015 - A new congressional report
released Thursday took aim at the airline
industry for failing to adequately disclose
extra fees and add-on costs charged to the
flying public.

The report, released by the minority staff of
the Senate Commerce Committee, found that
ancillary fees, such as change and cancellation
penalties and preferred seating, are
increasingly keeping consumers in the dark about
the true cost of air travel. It also made a
number of recommendations requiring more
transparency from the airline industry.

“The traveling public is being nickel-and-dimed
to death,” said Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), the
panel’s top Democrat. “What’s worse is that many
flyers don’t learn about the actual cost of
their travel until it’s too late.” Nelson said
he intends to press his colleagues to act on the
report’s recommendations when the Senate begins
its work on legislation reauthorizing the
Federal Aviation Administration.

In the case of preferred seating charges, the
report found that consumers who purchase tickets
through airline websites are sometimes only
presented seats which require an additional fee.
In such instances, many travelers often pay the
fee, unaware that the airlines will randomly
assign them an available free seat at a later
date.

Additionally, the review found that consumers
generally did not receive prominent or clear
flight change and cancellation fee disclosures
when they purchased tickets from airline
websites. In some instances, penalties for
changing flight plans can double the cost of
travel – even when the change is made far in
advance of the flight. Among the report’s
recommendations:

- Better and earlier disclosure of ancillary
fees to help consumers compare costs among
airlines;

- Require checked baggage and carry-on baggage
fees to have a clear connection between the
costs incurred by the airline and the baggage
fees charged;

- Require airlines to promptly refund fees for
any bags that are delayed more than 6 hours on a
domestic flight;

- Limit airline change fees to a reasonable
amount tied to lead time prior to departure and
an amount less than the original fare;

- Mandate that airlines place clear disclosures
that “preferred seat” charges are optional;

-
Require airline and travel agency websites to have a
clear and conspicuous links to the Department of
Transportation’s Aviation Consumer Protection website;
and,

The report comes at a time of growing traveler
frustration over airline fees.According to one recent study, airlines around
the world pocketed a record $38.1 billion in extra fees
last year, an increase of more than 1400% since 2007.